MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
‘‘YOU have to grab every opportunity in life’’, says Derek Te Kanawa, who hasn’t looked back since graduating from Otago Polytechnic with a New Zealand Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 3)*.
Derek is now working as an apprentice fabricating engineer at Dunedin utilities company Delta and ‘‘absolutely loves’’ the variety of challenges that come with the job.
‘‘The engineering department at Delta is relatively small, comprising about 10 people. There is a lot of hands-on experience and I get great guidance.
‘‘It’s quite varied. We work in with linesmen, maintaining their truck hydraulics and booms, and might also fabricate toolboxes for the vehicles. We also work in with the greenspace crew, fixing ride-on lawnmowers and other equipment.’’
Derek recently returned to Otago Polytechnic to undertake a three-week block course covering a range of general engineering skills, including fitting, machining, and welding.
‘‘It was part of my year-3 apprenticeship requirements and has helped me upskill in various areas. This skill base has increased since then through my varied work tasks.
‘‘I now have more confidence in my abilities. This confidence ranges from being able to work on my own as well as feeling comfortable asking colleagues and management about anything work-related.’’
Before enrolling in the New Zealand Certificate in Mechanical Engineering, Derek had spent 10 years working in mental health.
‘‘Engineering was a bit of a U-turn, but I’d wanted to do it since I was a young fella growing up in Picton.
‘‘My wife, Dana, knew I was looking for a change so we discussed me going back to study.’’
At the time, Derek was 40 and the couple had three children under 10. Yet he wasn’t daunted by a return to learning.
‘‘I just went for it,’’ he reflects.
‘‘It’s important not to be scared to ask questions. I had to ask for support in order to work through some areas, because it’d been 25 years since I’d been at school.
‘‘I was lucky to have such great guidance from the engineering staff.
‘‘I absolutely loved the whole year. I wish I’d done it earlier.
‘‘I’m really happy with how things are going. I love engineering.
For more information about Otago Polytechnic’s second-semester programmes and Fees Free eligibility, visit www.op.ac.nz
* This programme is now delivered as the bridging certificate to the New Zealand Diploma in Engineering.
FOUNDATION STUDIES
DANNI Cousins had been working part time in retail and wanted to study, but had been out of school for a while and hadn’t achieved well academically. She knew she needed to find a programme that would help her bridge the gap and get up to speed. This was when she discovered the Certificate in Foundation Studies (Level 3)* at Otago Polytechnic.
‘‘I thought it would be really difficult initially. I had a really bad experience at school and was also bullied, so I didn’t have much faith in learning. But I’ve been really surprised by this programme. Here the teachers teach you your learning styles so you actually find out how to learn and the teachers work with you through that whole process. It’s much better than school.
‘‘Learning-wise I have a bigger opening now. I can now do maths and write an essay. My future looks brighter. Next I’m going to study Outdoor Leadership and Management as I love tramping and mountain-biking.
‘‘I would really recommend this programme to anyone who struggled at school. It’s not the same here — it’s completely different.’’
For more information about Otago Polytechnic’s second-semester programmes and its range of fees-free Foundation and Bridging study options, visit www.op.ac.nz
* This programme is now delivered as the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 3).
PERSONAL TRAINING
TESSA Morris has made great strides since enrolling in the New Zealand Certificate in Exercise (Level 5) at Otago Polytechnic.
‘‘I definitely was not a sporty kid. I always felt unco-ordinated and out of place in sports, so it wasn’t until I started exploring different types of exercise in my final year of high school that I really started to take part,’’ Tessa reflects.
After trying a range of gyms, classes, and approaches to exercise, she slowly grew more comfortable. Now, she has reached a point where she’s excited and inquisitive, and keen to educate others on the many benefits of exercise — feelings she says shares with many of her classmates.
‘‘It’s a very encouraging and happy place to be.
‘‘The type of learning that happens at Otago Polytechnic is personal, interactive and hands-on. I personally learn better that way.’’
Tessa isenrolled in the six-month full-time option (would-be learners can also study the same programme part time over a year).
‘‘I’ve loved meeting everyone involved in the programme, instructors included. Everyone has been supportive and encouraging. Everyone is happy to chat, help, and listen — and that can be a lifesaver some days.’’
Tessa’s long-term goal is to become a secondary-school teacher, and she would love to combine her enthusiasm for exercise into her teaching ambitions.
But she’s keeping her options open, too:
‘‘For me, if the right opportunity in the fitness industry comes along, I would love to take it. I would be interested in taking a role in group fitness, such as classes or a boot camp.
‘‘There is so much to learn in and around the exercise industry. Hopefully, I can spread the skills and knowledge I gain to others and help them achieve their goals.’’
For more information about Otago Polytechnic’s second-semester programmes and Fees Free eligibility, visit www.op.ac.nz
